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Archive for June, 2015

Orion Federal Credit Union has donated $25,000 to make possible a very special area in the Cloud901 teen lab: the Dream Catchers Zone.

There’s something about kicking back and gazing up at the stars that inspires dreaming. We wanted to have a designated place in our Cloud901 lab for teens to do just that, since dreams are the starting point of any creative endeavor. Our Dream Catchers Zone, featuring long lounges for reclining and starry-sky ceiling panels, will be the place teens can go to relax and let their creative imaginations soar. Orion’s generous sponsorship of this area is a true gift to Memphis teens who want to dream big.

Known as the Memphis Library Summer Reading program until the overhaul in 2014, Explore Memphis now includes encouraging children and teens to explore more than books. Thanks to The Urban Child Institute, and their focus on the importance of language and literacy in Memphis and Shelby County, Explore Memphis continues to thrive. The ongoing support from The Urban Child Institute is crucial and their partnership is appreciated.

In April, 2015, Georgia-Pacific Memphis Cellulose operations donated $25,000 to have a named sponsorship in the new teen lab at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, otherwise known as Cloud901.

Cloud901 is shaping up to be a state-of-the-art social, creative, production, research and performance lab, exclusively for teens, to create and produce 21st century skills in the digital world, and life-skills as well.

The “GP Memphis Cellulose Collaboration Zone” will be used for teens to work in small groups, housed next to the “Grizzlies Gaming Zone,” and the yet to be named “Maker’s Space.” Activities for Cloud901 include: coding and game design; filmmaking and editing; 3D printing; robotics design and creation; music recording and editing; graphic design; creative writing; entrepreneurial programs; and painting and drawing to name a few.

This Spring the Memphis Library Foundation unveiled the lovely mural donated by Baptist Health Care in the Children’s Courtyard. Many families attended, and enjoyed the day with a chalk artist, music, pictures with PD Parrot, and more. Thanks to Memphis Library Foundation Board Members Heather Grosvenor and Lorri Cordelli, the area featured beautiful flowers, herbs, and much more!

Baptist continues to partner with the Memphis Library Foundation, enhancing the environment for children learning, adding to our health information collection, health fairs, and other health related programs.

We are thankful our teens learn from Society of Information Management members at the annual Teen Tech Camp at the Memphis Library. SIMs has generously partnered with the Memphis Library since 2005 for this wonderful program.

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Memphis Public Libraries

Support the teens in #CLOUD901, who formed the Memphis Mech-Warriors, the only library community-based team to compete in this year’s FIRST Robotics national competition! See the crowdfunding campaign here! For more on the type of creativity that has come out of CLOUD901, check out this video that teens not only created, but won a Toyota Challenge and is now running as a TV commercial.

Don’t forget when shopping, to use this unique Amazon Smile link, and Amazon will donate to the Memphis Library Foundation.

In part, ongoing private support continues to allow the Memphis Library Foundation to make needed enhancements to the Memphis Public Library & Information Center, and all 18 branches. Please consider an investment, as a general gift, a gift in-kind, or explore other options.